Stuck With Each Other
by the labile affect
Summary: Mello's not getting along with Near worse than usual. L comes up with an idea to solve this problem.
1. L's Idea

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Death Note, nor will I ever.**

"L, Mello and Near haven't been getting along worse than usual. …Er, my apologies, I should probably say that Mello hasn't been getting along with Near worse than usual."

"Oh? Is that so, Roger? Hm…"

L sat on the sofa on the other side of the room, a thumb at his lips while he stared at his strawberry shortcake that he'd set on the small table in front of him with a thoughtful expression on his face. His second hand rested on one of his knees, both of which were pulled up against his chest. Roger, meanwhile, was at his desk and trying to ignore the slight irritation he felt at L choosing to take a seat so far away from him. It _did_ make it rather difficult to speak with the raven haired detective, after all.

Roger had scheduled this meeting to discuss what to do about the current situation between Wammy's top two students months ago, but L was an extremely busy man. This was understandable. However, he had just been beginning to lose his patience only because a certain blond had been driving him up the wall more than usual with the way a certain albino was being treated.

Suddenly, L's dark eyes lit up and he glanced towards Roger with a faint smile.

"I have an idea. It did wonders for Light and I."

MNMNMN

"L wants you to _WHAT_?"

Mello's blue eyes were narrowed dangerously at the sight of the handcuffs, his mouth forming a fierce scowl. He respected L greatly, but there was no way that he was going to be freakin' handcuffed to _Near_!

"I mean no disrespect, Roger, but I must agree with Mello that this is quite a foolish plan. Mello's tormenting of me will surely escalate by nearly a hundred percent."

Mello turned to glare at the albino playing with toys behind him, then swung back around to continue ranting at the man who he really had an urge to punch in the face right now.

"See? I already wanna kill him! Every word out of his mouth just fills me with desire to cause him pain. This will never work!"

"Something must be done about how you two interact with each other, because I'm honestly sick of having to deal with this! If you both behave correctly, then the handcuffs will be removed in only a week. If you do not, however, then you will be stuck chained together until you learn to do so," Roger snapped, suddenly moving forward.

Before either could say or do anything to resist, there was a _click_ sound and they both felt the cold of metal against one of their wrists.

'…When the hell did Roger become so damn quick?' Mello wondered, eyes wide as he stared at his and Near's linked arms. Roger then proceeded to grab them by the shoulders and shoved them out the door, uttering a grumpy sounding farewell as said door was slammed shut after them.

If it weren't for the consequences that he faced, Mello would have beaten the crap out of Near at that exact moment. In fact, he still considered whether or not it would be worth it. In the end, though, he decided that it wasn't. Growling, he began tugging his rival down the hall.

"Mello?"

"Come on, you little twerp! If I'm gonna have to put up with you, then I'm gonna need some chocolate!" he explained, heading in the direction of his shared room with Matt.

'…I somehow doubt there is enough chocolate in the _world_ to keep Mello calm in this situation,' Near thought, frowning slightly as a pale hand reached up to twirl a curl of his pure white hair around one of his dainty fingers while he was practically being dragged to the chocoholic's destination.

Well, he'd find out soon enough.

**Good first chapter or no?**


	2. The Night Before It Begins

**I AM SO SORRY THAT IT TOOK THIS LONG TO UPDATE. Dx ****I'll try not to let it happen again. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this super late second chapter! :P**

Matt's PSP lay on the ground forgotten as he stared at the sight before him in bewilderment.

"…Um, why are you two handcuffed?"

"Shut up!" Mello snarled viciously, dragging Near to the dresser next to his bed. Ripping one of the drawers open, he yanked out a chocolate bar and unwrapped it like a five year old might tear apart the wrapping paper covering their gift at Christmas morning. Shoving his beloved candy in his mouth, he looked absolutely furious as he chewed obnoxiously like he did when he was _super_ pissed.

"Stupid Roger! No, scratch that._ L's_ the idiot!" he grumbled, his lips forming his infamous 'I hate the world' scowl. Matt was shocked. Did his best friend really just insult _L_? Mello was an angry person, sure, but he _never_ said _anything_ bad about the greatest detective. Sighing, he shook his head and glanced at Near questioningly. Unlike his blond companion, he actually liked the albino. Near was polite and didn't snap at him when he made a simple inquiry.

"L apparently believes that handcuffing us will somehow make Mello stop bullying me," Near explained, barely lifting a shoulder in his version of a shrug. Mello paused in his devouring of chocolate to shoot a glare at his rival.

"I don't bully you, you provoke me!" he insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. Matt opened his mouth to defend Near, but quickly decided against it and picked up his PSP from the floor to resume playing with it. He liked Near, but there was no point in arguing about this. It was impossible to convince Mello that he was wrong and the redhead knew this well by now.

"When Mello is finished, could we please go to my room to retrieve some of my possessions?" Near asked, sounding completely calm as he ignored Mello's last statement.

"No."

Matt frowned, unable to help feeling bad for poor Near. Pausing his video game, he stood from his blue bean bag chair and smiled at the pajama clad boy.

"I'll get what you need, Near," he offered, knowing it would be easier for him to do it than trying to make Mello do it. However, Mello immediately headed for the door with Near trailing behind him as if he'd been given a challenge that he couldn't resist.

"Forget it! _I'm_ going," Mello claimed, leaving Matt to wonder what he'd said to change the chocoholic's mind that suddenly.

MNMNMN

"Alright, you little _sheep_. What do you want?" Mello growled, gazing at Near's plain room with disinterest. Near tilted his head slightly, still confused about what had just happened. Hadn't Mello refused him his request only a minute ago? Well, he certainly wasn't going to complain.

"I was hoping to get a few of my toys and puzzles," he replied, gesturing to his large trunk that contained these items. Mello nodded and tapped his foot impatiently, hands on hips.

"Okay, then what are you waiting for? Grab them," Mello huffed, frowning. Near obeyed and gathered what he desired, turning to Mello expectantly. Like he'd figured, Mello began to haul Near into the hallway.

"Are we returning to our previous location?" Mello hesitated, then raised an eyebrow at Near as he scoffed.

"Why can't you just ask if we're going back to my room? Do you always have to sound like a damn robot?"

"…Mello should know that it's rude to answer a question with more questions."

"Screw you."

"…"

"_Yes_, we're 'returning to our previous location'!" Mello mocked with a sneer, stomping in the direction of his bedroom. Near was actually beginning to become a bit frightened at the thought of spending an entire week attached to this raging _beast_, although he didn't dare show it. That obviously wasn't the Near way!

"You know, I got to wondering while you guys were gone. …Tell me, what exactly is the plan for your sleeping arrangements?" Matt immediately spoke at the very moment that the door to his and Mello's room opened. He glanced rather pointedly at the only two beds, one for him and one for... both Near and Mello?

Near watched in silence as Mello's face became an interesting shade of red.

"I'll tell you, Matt. He'll be on the floor," he replied in a surprisingly monotone voice not unlike Near's. Said albino blinked.

"Can this not be discussed further?"

"Hell no. You aren't sharing my bed with me!" Mello's pitch was getting higher, indicating that he was struggling not to give in to the sudden impulsive urge to beat the other boy senseless for such an entirely outrageous suggestion.

"I don't think that Roger would consider this 'behaving' on your part," Near said softly, cautious.

"Are you seriously _blackmailing_ me, you insignificant brat?"

"Am I being successful?"

"…_Fine_. Simply because you're a jerk who makes a good threat."

"I learned from the best," Near slipped, the words escaping his lips before he could stop them. He couldn't help it, truthfully. It was too much fun to annoy Mello, not that he'd ever admit that he did it purposely at times. At _times_, meaning that he honestly wasn't usually trying to piss the blond off. He'd be stupid if he made that a habit, putting Mello's intense fury into consideration.

"As of late, have I mentioned how I utterly despise you?"

'_Gee, not that I can remember._' Near kept this sarcastic comment to himself, instead safely choosing to remain silent.

MNMNMN

Matt had been tuning out the whole conversation, not wanting to be distracted from the object of his obsession (AKA his currently favorite video game). However, he could _not_ resist the temptation of viewing the rivals getting settled down for the night. As he expected, there was a ton of complaining from Mello as Near climbed onto the mattress with the chocoholic.

Tossing a warning glare at the redhead when he realized that he and Near were being surveyed, Mello defiantly hogged the blanket to himself. He'd be damned if he was going to share _that_ with Near too.

And with a triumphant expression, he peacefully fell asleep.

**Review, please? =)**


	3. Day One

**GUESS WHAT? THE CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN TITLED NOW. I KNOW. NO WAY, RIGHT? 8D**

**Anyway, I have at least eleven total chapters planned for this story. Just thought that I should let you all know. x3**

Near was so warm and comfortable that he never wanted to wake up. Sadly, a certain someone had other plans for him.

"NEAR, WHAT THE HELL?"

Eyes snapping open as he hit the floor, a sharp pain shot up his spine. Wincing slightly, he rubbed his bottom briefly before glancing at the angry blond above him.

"Why did Mello do that?"

"Why? _Why_? YOU WERE PRACTICALLY ON TOP OF ME!"

"Well, Mello refused to share the blanket," Near pointed out, clearly expecting this to be an acceptable response.

"How does that explain anything?"

"Body warmth is very effective, Mello," Near sighed, as if he was speaking to a child who simply couldn't understand.

"Don't you dare use that tone with me, Near!"

"Mello, you seriously sound like you're married to Near or something," Matt mumbled groggily from his bed, obviously too tired to have the sense to keep his mouth shut when Mello was in a rage like this.

"Matt, kindly shut up before I shove my foot up your crack," Mello growled, scowling as he got out of his bed. Near was forced to stand as Mello yanked up on the chain and rolled his shoulders, giving a satisfied smack of his lips when they popped. Near wrinkled his nose at the sound for a moment, but didn't say anything.

"Where are you going?" Matt asked, blinking as he sat up and watched Mello drag Near to the door.

"I'm gonna take a shower, duh," Mello answered, raising his eyebrow and scoffing. Didn't Matt know him at all by now? He always took a shower first thing in the morning.

"…Um, have fun with that," Matt replied, trying not to snicker as he laid back down. It took a few moments for this to register in Mello's brain, which was still foggy from sleep. He looked at Near, then looked at the handcuffs, then looked at Near again.

Mello was not pleased at what he saw.

MNMNMN

"It's not my fault that Mello dropped the soap."

"Near! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SPEAK OF IT!"

"I don't know what Mello is so upset about. I didn't even see anything," Near insisted, frowning. He had to admit, though, that the thought of that rather awkward shower with Mello almost made him blush. Almost.

"You don't get it!" Mello exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. Near only stared.

"Ugh, forget it. Let's just get breakfast," Mello groaned, rolling his eyes. Near shrugged, silently following Mello as the chocoholic walked towards the dining area. When they entered, everyone turned their heads. Mello was never one to be against a little attention, but this kind he could really do without. Near, however, didn't seem to notice that they were currently being gossiped about in audible whispers as he took a seat at a table without meeting anybody's questioning gaze.

"Isn't Mello going to sit and eat?" he suddenly asked monotonously, looking at Mello. Mello paused as he glanced once more at the other orphans, but nodded and sat next to Near. He wasn't going to let some annoying brats get in the way of his meal, especially if Near could ignore them.

"Hi, Mello! …Why are you handcuffed to Near?" Mello grimaced at the shy voice, knowing exactly who it belonged to. _Linda_. That girl was so irritating. She definitely had a crush on him, but he wasn't interested in her in the slightest. She would constantly show him her drawings, but he didn't care about her stupid art. Well, she was actually pretty talented. Still, he wasn't fond of her.

"L's and Roger's punishment," he replied simply, shrugging. He hoped that would be enough to send her away. He didn't want to deal with her right now, considering he already had to attempt handling Near.

"Oh. Uh, I was wondering if you'd like to see my sketch of this cute kitty I saw yesterday!" she giggled, seemingly unable to comprehend the fact that he wasn't in the mood to tolerate her. Mello resisted the urge to chuck his cereal bowl at her and bit his lower lip.

"Go ahead," he grumbled reluctantly, taking a deep breath to stop his anger from boiling over the edge. He may as well have dropped to his knees and begged for her hand in marriage, because Linda squealed happily and eagerly flipped her notebook open to the page that her picture was on.

Near observed this scene unfolding, trying to contain the nagging feeling of jealousy in his heart. Did Mello really like Linda? She was so… so out of his league! 'And you aren't?' he thought sadly, picking at his food as the corners of his lips twitched downwards.

"What's your problem?" Mello's question brought him out of his depressing thoughts and he realized that Linda had finally left. He looked at Mello like he had no idea what the older boy was talking about.

"Don't give me that look. You're not eating. Why?" Near wanted to look in a different direction, but he continued to look into those beautiful blue orbs. Why did they captivate him like this?

"Mello is incorrect. I am eating," he said softly, shoving a forkful of eggs in his mouth to prove that he was telling the truth. Mello appeared uncertain and was probably about to pester the albino further, but then Matt bounded into the room and distracted him. Thank goodness.

MNMNMN

Mello was furious. During classes the entire day, Near had been acting weird. When asked about it, the twerp had the nerve to say that he was overanalyzing and overreacting… _like usual_. That bigheaded twit thought he was so great, but Mello wasn't an idiot! He knew that something was bothering Near and he was going to find out what it was one way or another. At least this provided him with an intriguing activity to occupy himself with while he had to suffer through this cursed week.

Okay, Near. Deny everything. Mello could figure it out on his own. The game was on!

…And thus concluded the first official day of Mello and Near being stuck with each other.

**Stupid Mello. OBVIOUSLY NEAR LOVES YOU. -headdesk- When will that blond ever learn to freakin' SEE. WITH. HIS. EYES.**

**I hope you enjoyed! Review, please!**


	4. Day Two

**Hey, guys! I'm already planning another MelloxNear story after this and I've got two ideas now. I'll get them both done, but I wanna know what I should start with. The first is an AU in which Mello is a famous actor and Near is new to the movie business, but he's quickly starting to overshadow Mello. Mello is obviously not pleased about this and gets even more upset when they become costars in a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. Includes LxLight and BBxMatt. The second is also an AU in which Mello is a Nazi soldier and Near would be a small Jewish boy that he falls in love with at a concentration camp during WWII. Which do you think I should begin with?**

A sigh.

"Get _off_, Near." _Thump_.

"Mello doesn't have to throw me on the floor like this."

"The sooner that you learn snuggling is a no-no, the better," Mello replied, glaring daggers at the albino below him. Waking up with Near on top of him was just… _awkward_.

"It's not my fault. I get cold without a blanket," Near explained, but he knew that Mello would have none of that. As expected, Mello snorted in response.

"Don't be an idiot, Near. You don't just cuddle with someone because you're _cold_," he snapped, rolling his eyes. Near shrugged, being forced to stand by Mello like yesterday with a sharp tug on the chain that linked their wrists.

"Are we going to shower?" Near asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yep, and I'm keeping the same rule as before. Look anywhere near me while I'm naked and you will die a very slow, painful death. Understood?"

"I don't know why Mello would think I'd be interested in seeing him like that. Besides, what happens if he looks at _me_?" Mello blushed a violent shade of red, which Near couldn't help but notice looked nice on his attractive face.

"I would rather shove a razor down my throat than see you without clothes on, Near."

"I believe_ that's _an exaggeration, Mels."

"Shut up, Matt. Go back to sleep or something," Mello scoffed, waving his friend off like he didn't have time for such nonsense.

MNMNMN

"You better not look!"

"I've already reassured Mello several times that I won't."

"Still. If you do, I'll-"

"Mello will slit my throat in my sleep, I know." Near had never comprehended that threat. If you told someone that you were going to harm them in their sleep, they'd simply stay awake all night. What was the point in warning them?

"That also goes for interrupting me, Near."

"Yes, Mello," Near sighed, staring at the opposite wall as Mello used the toilet. He silently cursed Roger for not unlocking the handcuffs whenever they had to use the bathroom. The man said that it was part of their punishment, but he was pretty sure that Roger was merely afraid that Mello would run like hell as soon as the blond got the chance. 'Mello probably _would_ do something like that,' Near mused as he heard the toilet being flushed.

"Alright, you can look now." Near turned around and blinked at Mello, becoming a bit pink in the face when the chocoholic was finishing pulling up his zipper. Maybe Roger wasn't _that_ awful… 'No, bad Near! Get rid of those impure thoughts this instant!' Near scolded himself, eyes widening at the realization of how perverted his mind really was. Thinking about Mello like that was… _wrong_. 'But it feels so right!' his dirty conscience sang in his head. He switched from Roger to silently cursing himself.

"You ready to go?" Mello was scowling, obviously expecting a _yes_ without hesitation. Near only nodded, following Mello as he was led back to what could currently be called _their _room. Which was weird to think about it like that, but it was true.

"You two have a fun trip?" Matt teased, grinning from his seat on his blue bean bag chair as he glanced up from his Nintendo DS.

"Yes, Matt. We had _so_ much fun in the bathroom." Mello paused as his words sunk in, met the redhead's eyes, then both of them burst into laughter.

"Mels, you've finally come out of the closet! And with Near, no less! I was wondering when the time would come, but I never imagined it would be so _soon_." Near was completely clueless. What was so funny about having fun in the bathroom? And what did it mean to come out of the closet? Mello saw the puzzled expression on the younger boy's face and raised an eyebrow.

"What? You seriously have no idea what we're talking about?"

"…Of course I do." Near's voice was uncharacteristically small. He wasn't familiar with being the oblivious one, after all.

"Right, of _course_ you do." Mello's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Near winced at the disbelief that Mello displayed, but said nothing.

MNMNMN

"I can't believe that you dragged me here."

"…I am not exactly capable of such a feat, Mello." Near didn't understand why Mello would agree to take him to the playroom, then complain about being forced to do it. As if Near could ever make Mello do anything that he didn't want to (besides share a bed). That was utterly ridiculous.

"Whatever. Just start playing with your stupid toys already." Near complied, building with his blocks in content. Mello sat next to Near, chomping on a chocolate bar as he watched in boredom. Near hesitated a few minutes later, catching Mello's attention.

"Hm?" Mello grunted, the last bite of his candy in his mouth and melting in the wet warmth.

"Would Mello like to join me?" Mello was surprised. _Nobody _touched Near's toys except for Near. Near never offered to anybody, at least, nor did he ever seem to_ want _to invite anybody. He was about to decline when he remembered the little competition they had. The whole, "Could Near keep his secret or would Mello discover it?" thing. Mello decided that this would be a good opportunity to get Near to slip and reveal something. _Anything_ that would aid him in his victory.

"Sure." It was Near's turn to be shocked. He hadn't thought that Mello would say _yes_. He was just being polite. However, he had to admit that this made him… happy. Mello reached over and grabbed a block, adding it to Near's structure. They continued building together for about an hour, quietly and without speaking. When they finished with impressive results, Mello could have sworn he saw a tiny smile forming at the corners of Near's lips. Why did that make him feel… satisfied?

"Thank you." Woah. What happened to Near's speech being in third person?

"We make a decent team. When we're building with your dumb blocks, I mean." _Why_ had Mello said that? And was that color rushing to Near's cheeks or was he hallucinating?

"I've always believed that, Mello."

**And the tender moments are in motion! x3 Review, please!**


	5. Day Three

**I realize that it took a while for me to update again and I apologize. On the bright side, I just got the complete boxed set of Death Note manga! :D**

After another morning of shoving Near off of him, Mello was chilling on his bed and eating a multitude of chocolate bars while his sheep was playing darts. …No, not _his_ sheep. _The_ sheep. _His_ made it sound like he was possessive of Near. Ha, as if. He was still a bit confused about yesterday, though. Not only did he actually enjoy using those building blocks with Near, but he'd totally forgotten to tactfully bring up the subject of the albino's mysterious problem. There was also that conversation they'd had.

"_We make a decent team. When we're building with your dumb blocks, I mean."_

"_I've always believed that, Mello."_

A faint blush colored his cheeks at the flashback and he mentally cursed himself for probably looking like a fool. Forget about Near's problem. What was _his _issue? Suddenly, he became aware of something in the corner of his eye. Glancing over, he blinked at the unbelievable sight in front of him. Near was failing at playing darts. _Epically_. The darts weren't even hitting the board. It was sort of embarrassing to watch, honestly.

"Um, Near?"

"Yes, Mello?"

"Why are you sucking?" The question was rather rudely blunt and it made Near pause, turning a confused gaze to the blond's face.

"Excuse me?"

"You have awful aim."

"…I know this."

"Well, _why_ do you have awful aim?"

"I'm not sure of the answer to that inquiry. I simply am," Near said with a small and indifferent shrug, returning to his game. Mello watched him throw the darts and tragically miss for a few more minutes before it finally became too painful for the chocoholic to bear. Sighing reluctantly, he hopped off of his mattress and approached Near from behind. Gently grabbing the younger boy's throwing arm, he felt Near stiffen at his touch.

"M-Mello?"

"Let me show you how to do it right," Mello replied gruffly, uncertain about why he was doing this. He hated Near, so there was no point in him being nice to the twit. '_I'm bored and have nothing better to do,_' he assured himself. Upon feeling Near's tense muscles relax, he guided the albino's arm straight and true.

"Bam!" Mello cheered, grinning as the dart hit the bull's eye. He smugly noted how Near seemed in awe of his accomplishment.

"How did Mello do that?"

"It's not that different from some of the sports I play. You just need decent aim, which is a result from a trained arm," Mello explained, looking very pleased with himself for being able to teach Near _anything_. Near almost smiled, merely happy that Mello was happy.

"I thank Mello. Could he demonstrate that again, please?" he asked, secretly wanting the comforting feeling of Mello's chest against his back. Mello hesitated, then nodded and offered a somewhat tentative smile that melted Near's heart.

MNMNMN

Near felt that he was on cloud nine. Mello had been surprisingly sweet to him during the darts lesson, ignoring the time that a dart or two had been thrown at him. He was currently observing Matt as the redhead played a video game on the Xbox. It seemed that Matt had stopped for a moment, turning to look at Near with a friendly grin on his lips.

"Hey, you want to join?"

"Oh… I suppose that sounds fun," Near agreed in an unnaturally shy manner, timidly taking the controller that was handed to him. He wasn't experienced with this at all and feared that he'd be equally as bad as he was at darts. Mello was taking a nap, snoring softly in a way that Near thought was completely endearing. When he'd been playing with Matt for about an hour and he was starting to get the hang of things, the gamer spoke words that made his gaze immediately snap away from the television screen.

"You really like Mels, huh?"

"W-What? What could possibly cause Matt to say that?" Matt paused Halo 3 and stared at Near like it was obvious. Raising an eyebrow, he chuckled softly and shook his head.

"I don't understand why nobody else sees it. He's the only person I've seen you get emotional about or towards," he told Near with a knowing expression, bright green eyes soft with what appeared to be sympathy.

"Matt must promise not to tell Mello!" Near nearly wailed, but kept his voice down to avoid waking the chocoholic. He didn't even attempt to convince Matt that the other teenager's theory was wrong. He was too panicked at the idea of what Mello's reaction would be if the blond discovered how deeply he cared. Matt put both of his hands in the air in surrender.

"Alright, alright! I promise! However, I don't believe that Mello would be upset. In fact-" Mello's stirring from sleep interrupted Matt, who abruptly shut his mouth at the desperate look that Near sent him. Mello rubbed his eyes as he yawned, sitting and scratching his head.

"Yo, Matt. _Near_," he sneered the second name, shooting a glare at Near that informed the albino that the older male's kindness was at an end. Near absentmindedly greeted Mello, continuing to feel worried about Matt's curious knowledge of his fondness for the chocoholic.

MNMNMN

Near and Mello were at dinner, a meal that the former had grown to despise. It was when Linda's tries at flirting had occurred most often and today wasn't a change from that routine. Near bitterly listened to Linda comment on how handsome Mello looked and corrected her in his mind. '_He's not handsome. He's perfect._'

"I was… wondering if you'd wanna go on a date sometime? When Near isn't handcuffed to you, of course. It would be _totally_ awkward and he'd be like a third wheel and-"

"Linda, kindly be silent!" Mello was shocked, to say the least. Near had _yelled_. In an oddly polite fashion, but he'd _yelled_.

"Mello, may we leave?"

"Okay?" Mello was puzzled. What had made Near angry? Following Near when the albino grunted at his failure to drag Mello to their room, the blond couldn't help but be concerned about what was bothering the twerp. …Wait, what? He _loathed_ Near. Near was an enemy, not a companion! He didn't want to be stuck with a moody rival, that was it.

Yeah… that was it.

**Mello is in denial, silly boy. Anyway, is anyone surprised that Near actually snapped at Linda? I always thought that he might eventually do something like that if somebody kept on flirting with _his_ Melliekins. Please review! :3**


	6. Day Four

**I'm sick with a cold and dreadfully tired, so this chapter may not be at its best. Still, I hope it's cute enough for you! Remember to review after you read, please!**

"…Dammit, Near! When will you friggin' learn?"

_Thump!_

MNMNMN

"Oh, man, did you _see_ Linda's face when Near yelled at her? She looked like she'd just been slapped across the face or somethin'!" Matt was currently cracking up about last night's main event, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. Near shifted uncomfortably when he felt Mello's curious gaze on him, knowing exactly what the blond was wondering. What had made him snap like that? 'If only he knew…' Near internally sighed, grimacing faintly.

"I was a little busy trying to figure out what had pissed Near off in the first place, but _he_ won't tell me," Mello grumbled bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at a wall.

"Don't be such a pouter, Mels! He didn't wanna talk about it, so what? You don't feel like sharing everything that's on your mind with _him_, do ya?" Matt retorted in Near's defense, raising an eyebrow. Mello merely scowled in response and muttered something foul under his breath. Near was grateful to Matt, considering he knew that the redhead knew what had really been bothering him.

"Aw, damn! It's already noon? We're late for class!" Mello suddenly exclaimed after a glance at his alarm clock, jumping to his feet and dragging Near towards the door.

MNMNMN

At the moment, Mello wanted to strangle somebody. He had to write _poetry_. He wasn't good at that crap! Groaning as he sat staring at his notebook in English, he attempted to secretly look at Near. The brat was pausing at the desk he'd claimed next to Mello's, a pencil eraser at his lips, then seemingly nodded to himself and began writing. The chocoholic wasn't surprised, but became angry nonetheless. 'Stupid twerp thinks he has the right to do better than me _again_,' he thought furiously, shooting daggers at the lined paper that laid in front of him.

"If any of you are having trouble, simply try to express your emotions about a situation that you are experiencing at this time in life," the teacher suggested, smiling helpfully. Mello considered this, glancing at the handcuffs that connected him to Near. That could work for a subject. He was horrible at rhyming, so he'd settle for free verse. When he finished his rough draft a few minutes later, he carefully read what he'd written.

_Three more days until I'm free,_

_Can't wait for the day that I'm free,_

_Away from that arrogant jerk,_

_No longer in this hell of a prison,_

_Won't have to see the face_

_That only a mother could love,_

_Won't have to share a bed_

_With the person that I loathe,_

_I'll finally be able to feel happy again,_

_Can't wait for the day that I'm free._

It was short, but whatever. He preferred art to literature, anyway. The thing that bugged him was that… it didn't sound sincere when he mumbled it aloud to himself. It was like he'd forced the words. He didn't understand it, though. Isn't this how he truly felt? Biting his lower lip, he decided to attempt a new poem. This one took a bit longer to write and when he was done, he stared at what he wrote with a gaping mouth.

_I can't stand this confused feeling,_

_This confused feeling that I get_

_When I see him smile,_

_This confused feeling that I get_

_When I see him blush,_

_This confused feeling that I get_

_When he looks at me with those eyes,_

_Those eyes that I don't know how to describe,_

_Or maybe I do and don't want to admit it,_

_I don't know, but could someone please_

_Tell me what this confused feeling is_

_Before I start to lose my mind?_

What did this _mean_? Mello knew instantly by looking at it that the feelings were real, but he didn't comprehend what they meant. Or was he ignoring what they meant? He wasn't certain and it irritated him that Near of all people was messing with his head like this.

"Mello? The bell rang…" Speaking of the devil, when had Near popped into view like that? Mello immediately slammed shut his assignments and followed the sheep to History.

MNMNMN

"Mello, where are we going?"

"To the library, I haven't studied yet this week. Oh, and don't even think about distracting me or I'll decapitate you," Mello threatened, frowning at the albino behind him. 'Why does Mello believe that I wish to cause his failure?' Near wondered in exasperation, but his thoughts were interrupted by a rough jerk on the chain that attached him to Mello as they rounded a corner and he fell on the floor. Hard.

"Ah!" he cried, his ankle twisting painfully. Mello winced, a flash of guilt on his face. Fast as lightning, he was at Near's side and helping the albino stand.

"Sorry," Mello grunted reluctantly and without his own consent, flinching as Near did when the younger genius tested the injured joint.

"It's fine. It was an accident," Near replied, amazing Mello with his forgiveness.

"You wanna go to the nurse?" Mello asked, his tone strangely polite. He was hoping that being nice to the twit would make this upset feeling in his stomach disappear.

"No. If Mello wants to go to the library for studying, then we should go," Near answered, starting to limp in the direction that they'd been hurrying to. Mello swore that he felt his heart ache at Near's consideration, despite being in obvious discomfort. 'Ugh, this is weird! I'm supposed to hate him! Don't I?' he silently questioned himself, feeling rather clueless. Either way, he felt like he at least owed Near for the unnecessary (and totally indirect) tripping.

"You're not walking like that," he growled stubbornly, grabbing Near by the elbow and… carrying the other boy bridal style?

"M-Mello?" Near's cheeks were flushed bright red and Mello was beginning to find it… _cute_?

"What?" He sneered, his bully act not working in his favor very well when he was holding Near like this.

"…Thanks." Near's gentle smile made him feel slightly dizzy. That wasn't normal, was it?

"Don't mention it. _Literally_."

**Mello's finally getting the hint! Mind you, he still has a few ways to go yet. The poems are probably awful. We'll just say that Mello put forth no effort in them. xD**


	7. Day Five

**We're getting closer and closer to the end, I swear! Four more chapters after this, guys! D:**

That morning, Near had noticed a slight hesitation from Mello before the blond shoved him away. Had Mello simply been dazed from sleep or was there some other, more curious reason? …Oh, he was probably just overanalyzing the situation like he usually did whenever Mello was involved.

MNMNMN

"Dammit, Matt!"

"What?"

"Stop beating me at all these stupid video games!"

"Well, excuse me for being better than you at something for once!"

"Hmph. Whatever, at least Near is losing," Mello pointed out, smirking in triumph as he noticed that Princess Peach was in last place. Don't ask him why Near chose Princess Peach, he had no idea whatsoever. He himself was Bowser, of course. Matt was Mario, go figure. Crossing the finish line only a moment after Matt, he groaned and threw the controller at the floor.

"Hey! Be careful with my stuff, Mels!"

"I'm never playing Mario Cart with you again!" Near had to suppress a small smile as Mello pouted, a tiny glint of amusement in his eyes. Mello was so competitive, but that was yet another endearing trait of the chocoholic's. It was in _his_ opinion, anyway.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Huh?" Matt muttered to himself, blinking in surprise. Who could that be?

"Yeah, who is it?" Mello called, looking a little confused too.

The last face they'd been expecting to see peeked inside with an extremely familiar trademark grin.

"Light?" the three boys exclaimed in unison, their eyes widening considerably.

"Hey, guys. What's up? You don't mind if I come in, do you?" Light asked, winking at them as he stepped into the bedroom. Not even a millisecond later, a redheaded blur jumped on him and embraced the young man.

"It's been forever, dude!" Matt laughed, eyes bright with excitement. Both Mello and Near were smiling on the mattress they sat on, happy to see their other mentor. Light chuckled at Matt's enthusiastic greeting, returning the hug.

"What is Light doing here?" Near asked curiously, knowing that Light and L had been pretty busy with a mountain of cases lately.

"Oh, just checking in on all of you," Light replied innocently, although the orphans could sense immediately that he wasn't being entirely truthful.

"Seriously, why?" Mello insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. He already had a feeling about what the _real_ reason was.

"Okay, fine. L wanted me to make sure that you hadn't violently murdered Near yet, considering your current… situation," Light admitted, grinning sheepishly. Mello frowned, but Near had to smile at this response. Well, let's be honest here, it _was_ a possibility.

"Actually, things haven't been too bad around here. You'd think that the world would have ended by now, but I guess we should have had more faith in Mello's self-control," Matt said cheerfully, smacking Light on the back. Light winced as he gently rubbed the abused area, then raised an eyebrow as he smirked.

"You're kidding, right? We're talking about the _same_ kid who punched a teacher in the nose for giving him a bad grade, aren't we?"

"Shut your mouth, jerk! Mr. Potts deserved it! "You don't understand Philip Iunior enough to do a report on him." Screw that idiot! He can kiss my-"

"Mello," Light interrupted, sighing and shaking his head.

"…He's been doing good with Near, at least," Matt corrected himself, dodging a pillow that was chucked at him by none other than a certain blond with temper problems.

"You two suck," Mello whined, looking miserable. Near had the sudden urge to hug the chocoholic in comfort, but restrained himself with the reminder that he actually preferred living.

"If that's the truth, then why is Near's ankle wrapped?" Light asked skeptically, realizing that the albino's joint was bandaged.

"It was an accident. The chain was jerked around a bend in the hallway and I tripped," Near explained quickly, seeing the flash of guilt on Mello's face.

"Alright, if that's what you say. Anyway, listen. I can't stay for too long because I don't like leaving L and Wammy alone for longer than a day, so let's start hanging out now before dinner comes and I have to go," Light suggested, apparently done with teasing Mello for the moment. The teenage geniuses nodded eagerly, Matt gesturing wildly at his Wii while Mello shouted about playing soccer. Near was quiet and still, which soon earned him the privilege from Light to make the final decision on the matter.

"Hm," Near mumbled, his gaze trailing towards Mello as he smirked faintly.

MNMNMN

Soccer wasn't easy to play with a sprained ankle and Near couldn't just watch the others thanks to the handcuffs, but an alternative had been discovered.

Actually, it had been Mello's idea.

"You've never played soccer before, have you? We'll teach you. You kick with your right foot, don't you? You should be fine, then. We just won't have you running around and putting too much pressure on your left ankle."

"Yeah! Great thinking, Mels!" Matt agreed, high fiving his best friend. While Near blushed, Light merely seemed slightly stunned. It _was_ true. Mello and Near liked each other? He and Matt had discussed the topic over email, but he'd never really believed the redhead's claims until now. Were all geniuses gay or something? He had to wonder. It was clear that the two weren't actually together and Light was pretty sure that Mello didn't even realize his feelings for Near yet, but the brunette knew that his and L's top successors were definitely at least interested.

An hour later, Near had actually managed to score a couple of goals and Mello had been rather supportive in his own way.

"I suppose that wasn't an awful job… for a twerp," he commented after they'd been called in for dinner, Near suddenly feeling faint as he flashed that tentative smile again. Light had already said goodbye and vanished to reunite with L, so the trio was currently just walking in the direction of the dining room.

"I thank Mello, but I could never be an excellent player like him," Near murmured, smirking at Mello's appreciative grin.

"Aw, you've only seen me kick a few balls today while I was trying to show you how," he retorted, rubbing the back of his neck in an oddly modest manner.

"No, I… watch you sometimes when you play with the other children," Near said bashfully, staring at his feet. Mello blinked, a blush painting his cheeks as he opened his mouth to respond.

"What's with the lagging? I'm starving!"

"That's because you're an obese cow, Matt."

**Anybody catch the LxLight implication in there? I'll give you an internet cookie if you did! Review, please and thank you!**


	8. Day Six

**I apologize that these chapters are taking so long, guys. I've been busy, busy, busy!**

"You know what, Near? You win, dammit! I'll share my blanket with you, just stop this snuggling crap!" Mello had had enough. Well, actually, he hadn't. That's what was so scary.

"Oh. Okay, if that is Mello's decision…" Near shouldn't have been disappointed, but he was. He liked snuggling with Mello. The blond was warm and comfortable. Much better than a blanket, really.

"Guys, you have one more day after this before the week is over. Let's not start the morning with Mels throwing a fit, please," Matt groaned, rolling his eyes at the angry chocoholic. He immediately shut his mouth when Mello shot a glare at him, knowing better than to push his luck with his advantage of being the other teenager's companion.

MNMNMN

Mello was pissed. …More pissed than usual, anyway.

He and Near had been heading down the hallway from their last class of the day when these four girls had walked past them, looking at them and giggling.

"They make such a cute couple, don't they?" one of them had whispered.

Hell. No. They were _not_ being mistaken as boyfriends.

And that was how they'd ended up with Mello screaming and stomping his feet in their room.

"How do they have the audacity to assume that the twerp and I are _together_?" he bellowed, his eye twitching as he seethed. Matt was quietly snickering to himself, obviously amused at the thought of other people viewing his best friends in the same light that he did. Near was still blushing, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Those girls had believed that he and Mello were in a relationship? How was that possible?

"Seriously, what would make them think that? Because we're handcuffed? Newsflash, idiots, it's a punishment! We were forced into this! It's not some kinky sex toy we carry around to use later!"

If possible, Near's face turned an even darker shade of red. He didn't exactly know what a sex toy was, but he had an idea and that was bad enough. Basically, he was at least sure that it wasn't the type of toy that he'd ever be interested in. Matt was roaring with laughter at this point, but Mello was too busy ranting to notice and snap at the redhead.

"Besides, who would ever want to be with someone like _him_?"

Matt's guffaws instantly stopped, his eyes widening in horror. Mello had _not_ just said that. Meanwhile, Mello was trying to ignore the overwhelming sensation of guilt that suddenly attacked him. He had to admit, that was even worse than the sprained ankle he'd accidentally given Near. Not to mention the fact that it wasn't true, as much as he wished that he did believe it. Near was quiet, polite, intelligent, cute, _perfect_. It annoyed him to no end and he didn't find it at all attractive, but he was sure that other people would fall head over heels for that type of guy. Not him, though. He _hated_ Near and he _wasn't_ gay. Yup.

Wincing at the result of his big mouth and impulsive insults, he reluctantly glanced at Near.

He regretted it the very moment that he did.

Near's head was bowed, his hair covering his eyes. He seemed stiff, like he was trying hard not to… yell? No, it was more like he was trying hard not to… _cry_.

"Um, Near?" Mello's voice was nervous.

"…I would appreciate it if Mello did not speak to me at this time," Near replied slowly, as if trying to control his tone. Mello's gaze flashed with hurt, staring at his feet for a long minute. There was complete silence as Matt worriedly looked back and forth at L's top successors, wondering if he should say something in an attempt to break the tension.

"Matt… could you leave us alone for a bit?" Mello finally asked, lifting his head to give Matt a meaningful look. Matt quickly nodded, jumping up from his seat on his bed and grabbing his Nintendo DS before running out the door. '_…Come on, Mels, fix your mess without making it worse?_'

Mello sighed, turning to Near with a grimace. He had to make this right. Even if they were rivals, that didn't mean he couldn't feel like a jerk for being… a jerk.

"Near, we need to talk." God, he _did_ make it sound like they were married.

"There is nothing to talk about," Near insisted, continuing to hide his face.

"Then why don't you show me your face and prove it?"

"No, thank you."

"Near-"

"I said no, thank you."

"Fine, then we'll do this the hard way," Mello growled, shortening the distance between them in a quick stride and grabbing Near's chin to tilt the albino's face towards his.

"N-Near," Mello gasped, his heart sinking at the sight. Near's eyes were blurred with tears, a crushed expression spread across his features. Near jerked his face away from Mello's hand, a small sniffle escaping from him.

"I'm sorry." The words, ringing with awkward sincerity, slipped from Mello's lips as he avoided Near's pained eyes.

"No, Mello was correct."

Near had never been more startled when he felt a palm land a blow on his cheek, then a pair of arms wrapping around him following.

"You're so damn stupid sometimes for a genius," Mello grumbled, shaking his head incredulously as he embraced Near.

"…Mello didn't have to slap me…"

Mello blinked, then chuckled as he ruffled Near's hair.

"Somebody had to smack some sense into you," he countered, smirking. He felt a tiny smile against his chest and relief flooded him.

"I forgive Mello." Music to his ears, that's what it was. Mello grinned, releasing Near and putting a hand on his hip.

"Look, let's find Matt and go to dinner," he suggested, gesturing at the exit. Near was murmuring his agreement when a crash came from the entrance and both of them whipped in the direction that the loud noise came from. Matt grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he laid on the floor.

"Uh, I was totally _not_ listening to your conversation."

Mello crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

"Matt, I'm definitely killing you one of these days," he stated decisively, his lips pursed.

"Aw, Mels, don't be so rash!"

"How about I just beat the crap out of you, then?"

"That doesn't sound fun either, to be honest."

Near merely smirked as the older boys bickered.

**Mello, be ashamed. You made Near cry! Please review and thanks for reading!**


	9. Day Seven

**I will have this story finished by next weekend, I think. :3**

Mello was confused. So, so freakin' confused.

It probably started with the dream. That dream was… nice, too nice. It _shouldn't _have been nice. He'd dreamed about… His gaze landed on Near's lips and he immediately blushed. Oh God. That was the other thing. Near was clinging to him, despite the fact that he'd actually shared his blanket this time like he said he would. _Why_? None of this made any sense, especially the part that he wasn't shoving Near away like usual. Well, it did. He just didn't want to believe it. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes and hesitantly snuggled closer to Near. This was their last day being handcuffed (which _should_ make him glad instead of disappointed); he may as well enjoy it, even if it was something that he shouldn't enjoy.

MNMNMN

Near still didn't understand why Mello had let him cuddle this morning, but he wasn't about to complain. A hint of sadness had settled in the pit of his stomach with the realization that this was their final day being chained, knowing that everything would probably return to normal by tomorrow. Mello would spit in his face, smash his toys, punch him in the arm and hate him with the same passion as before this week. Nothing would have changed, because he would continue to be number one and that would continue to make Mello resent him.

"What's with you two today? You're both so quiet, it's depressing," Matt commented, glancing from his video game to the pair with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Matt."

"Mels-"

"I'm _tired_, that's _all_," Mello insisted, shooting Matt a dangerous look. Matt frowned, shook his head and grumbled as he turned to his video game.

"What was that?" Mello hissed, looking like he was about to throw a brick at Matt's face.

"Nothing," Matt snapped, causing Mello to blink in surprise. Matt _snapped_ at him. Matt _never _snapped at him. Near was a little shocked too, eyes widening slightly. Honestly, Matt was just sick of the denial and refusal to tell the truth. Why couldn't his friends put aside their fears and pride? He knew that in the end it would make them happy if they did. Why couldn't they see that?

"Look, I'm going to sneak in the kitchen and grab a soda. Do either of you want anything?" Matt asked as he stood up from his seat on the floor and headed for the door.

"Um, I'm running low on chocolate…" Mello answered, remaining stunned.

"I am fine, thank you," Near added, nervously toying with the toe of his sock. Matt nodded and left the room without another word. An awkward silence ensued, neither Mello or Near knowing what to say. That was when Near noticed Mello's English folder laying beside their bed with a piece of notebook paper sticking out. He should have known better since he knew that Mello wouldn't like him to search through the blond's stuff, but he had to wonder. Making sure that Mello wasn't paying attention to him, he took the piece of notebook paper and started to read the words scrawled on it.

_Three more days until I'm free,_

_Can't wait for the day that I'm free,_

_Away from that arrogant jerk,_

_No longer in this hell of a prison,_

_Won't have to see the face_

_That only a mother could love,_

_Won't have to share a bed_

_With the person that I loathe,_

_I'll finally be able to feel happy again,_

_Can't wait for the day that I'm free._

Near already knew that Mello felt this way, so why did his heart hurt this much? Feeling eyes on him, he realized too late that Mello was finally looking at him.

"Hey, Near, I… W-What is that? Is that mine? How dare you-" Mello snarled, snatching the piece of notebook paper. The flash of anger on his face disappeared as he recognized what he was holding, an expression of horror crossing his features as he observed Near's reaction. Near was staring at his lap, hands clutching at the carpet.

"Near, I'm s-"

"Do not apologize for your feelings, Mello," Near interrupted, his voice quivering. Mello watched as a single tear rolled down Near's cheek, hearing him curse himself under his breath for being weak. He rubbed it away furiously, face flushing with embarrassment. Mello felt guilty for the third time that week, unable to stand seeing Near so hurt.

"That's not how I feel," he blurted, reaching over and grabbing Near's hand. Near could have fallen on his back with disbelief.

"I don't understand. Mello hates me."

"I don't."

"Then why does he act like it? Why did he write this?"

"I thought that I hated you. I think that I did use to. I don't anymore, though," Mello explained, shrugging as if it was that simple. Near looked at their hands, Mello's unexpectedly soft as it firmly clasped to his.

"We're rivals."

"We're friends. If you want to be." Near briefly considered that he'd died and gone to heaven, because this was definitely too good to be true. A smile slowly curved his mouth, to Mello's great relief.

"Friends? Even when we're separated?"

"We won't be separated. Not really." Mello wanted to smack himself for how cheesy that sounded, but it at least seemed to please Near.

"I thank Mello."

"Huh? For what?"

"For his friendship." Mello smirked as he felt his chest lighten, about to reply when he heard footsteps nearing.

"Yo, Mels, here's your chocolate," Matt said unenthusiastically as he entered, chucking the several bars of candy at Mello. When he noticed that Mello and Near were holding hands, however, he grinned broadly and began clapping excitedly.

"Yes! You put your differences aside!" he cheered, obviously in an improved mood. Mello rolled his eyes, but Near chuckled. Matt had constantly been supporting them getting along, hadn't he?

"This calls for a celebration!" Matt exclaimed, opening his pop and gulping it. Mello laughed as Matt sputtered when the fizzy drink went through the wrong pipe, Near politely inquiring if he was okay.

"Y-Yeah, I'm alright. Thanks for worrying, _Near_," Matt coughed, glaring at a snickering Mello.

"You had it coming, man. Chugging it like that was practically _begging_ to choke," Mello retorted, receiving a middle finger from Matt in response. Suddenly, Near wasn't so concerned about what would happen after this night. He had a feeling that L had been right, that he and Mello had learned a lesson from this experience.

This proved that you shouldn't ever doubt the greatest detective in the world.

**They're friends now! Now all that's left is the next step... Review, please and thank you! :D**


	10. The Day After It Ends

**There's just one more chapter left now, guys! Oh, and BTW, this is probably my favorite! I hope you all like it too!**

It had been only a day since the handcuffs were removed and Mello was practically flipping out. Not because he missed Near's presence, no. He'd kept his promise and Near was now hanging around him and Matt nearly all day every day. The problem was that it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his hands to himself. He'd been rather… affectionate lately and he was terrified that Near would notice his feelings were deeper than that of a mere friendship.

And so here he was, in front of the mirror. Pretending that his reflection was Near. Which was kind of hard, because Near was far cuter than he was.

"Look, I-I like you. A lot. And… OH, SCREW THIS! IT'S NEVER GONNA WORK!" Mello had not meant to shout so loud, but he was entirely frustrated by this point. He couldn't tell Near about his attraction, never. Near wouldn't feel the same way and he'd just end up humiliating himself, not to mention probably scaring off the poor albino. Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Uh, Mels? You okay in there?" Mello flinched at the voice of his best friend. Of course the redhead would hear him yelling like that. Matt must think he's crazy.

"Fine, dandy, spectacular. Why do you ask?"

"…Dude, I think we need to talk." Mello groaned, wanting to bang his head against the mirror but resisting this urge due to the fact that he didn't really want pieces of glass stuck in his face. Reluctantly, he opened the door an inch and peeked through.

"Matt, I don't know what-"

"Dammit, don't you dare say that you don't know what I'm talking about!" Matt snapped, swinging the door open fully and dragging Mello out of the bathroom. He forced Mello to sit on his bed and took a seat next to the blond. They remained silent for a while and Mello could tell that Matt was thinking hard, which was quite scary. If _Matt_ was thinking hard, you knew it was serious.

"You should tell him." Mello was speechless. He knew immediately what Matt was referring to, but how could the avid gamer have realized it? Was the crush truly that obvious? He finally managed to shake himself out of his shock and opened his mouth to reply.

"What did I tell you before about not saying that you don't know what I'm talking about?" Matt warned, his eyes narrowing behind his goggles. Mello blinked.

"But I didn't even-"

"Mels, I know you." Mello sighed, he couldn't argue with that. He'd seen Matt do the chicken dance in the infamous birthday suit and Matt had seen him singing Sexyback in much the same manner. Both of them were long stories, but the point was that they knew each other a bit _too_ well by now.

"What if he doesn't-"

"He does."

"But-"

"He does."

"Matt-"

"He. _Does_."

"He does?"

"He does." Mello felt hope flutter in his chest. Matt was never this stubborn about anything except when it came to video games, so he had to believe the redhead was right. There was one question he had to ask, though.

"You don't care that I'm… gay?"

"Mello, you're my best friend and…" Matt trailed off, tilting his head slightly.

"And what?" Mello prompted, curious.

"And that's it. You're my best friend," Matt shrugged, grinning broadly. What Matt _didn't_ expect was for Mello's eyes to suddenly start watering.

"M-Matt…" Mello stammered, throwing his arms around the avid gamer. Matt was surprised to say the least, but it certainly wasn't unpleasant. In fact, he was touched that Mello was actually having a serious heart to heart moment with him. You have no idea how long he's been waiting for this. No. Idea.

"Aw, Mels," he chuckled, patting Mello on the back in an attempt to comfort the tearful chocoholic. He paused as Mello began to calm down and seemed to consider something.

"Besides, I _did_ use to have a crush on Light," he added, as if it was no big deal. Abruptly, Mello pulled away and stared at Matt incredulously.

"Are you kidding?" He was stuck between disbelief and laughter, his expression switching from a gape to a smirk.

"Nope. I was totally giddy about him. I got over it, though, soon after I realized that he and L were together. I do, however, still believe that he is a fiiiine hunk of man," Matt admitted, unaffected by Mello's reaction as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Wait. L and Light are a couple?" Mello's face was what some might describe as priceless.

"Jeez, am I the only person who notices these things?" Matt grumbled in exasperation, smacking his forehead with his palm and rolling his eyes.

"Well, Mr. Cupid, excuse me for not analyzing every relationship scrupulously. Anyway, I'm going to search for Near. He's probably in the playroom, I'm supposing," Mello scoffed, sticking his tongue out at Matt as he stood and headed for the door. He grabbed something from his English folder on his way, but Matt couldn't tell what it was at the distance they were apart.

"Seriously?" Matt instantly perked, excited that Mello was going to speak to Near.

"Would I lie to you? …Er, don't answer that," Mello grimaced as Matt gave him an extremely sarcastic look and he quickly left the room before the redhead could respond. The avid gamer merely snickered and reached for his PS3 controller, resuming playing Overlord II.

MNMNMN

"Mello!" Oh, crap. _Linda_. Mello winced, hesitating just a few feet from the door to the playroom. Linda took this as him waiting for her and she quickened her pace to catch up faster. When she was within an arm's length away from him, she practically flung herself at him as she did that annoyingly girlish giggle of hers.

"Hey! I've been looking everywhere for you lately!" she told him, as if this wasn't because he'd been _hiding_ from her. He was completely limp in her embrace, but she didn't seem to care if she even noticed.

"What do you want?" he moaned, as if this exchange was utterly painful for him. His expression said basically the same thing.

"Well, we never did get to finish that conversation about going out sometime and seeing as you're no longer handcuffed to Near…" she explained, fluttering her eyelashes at him flirtatiously. Mello shuddered in disgust.

"Look, Linda,-" Before he could tell her that he wasn't interested and that he actually loathed her quite a bit, she cut him off. With. Her. Lips. What the hell?

And then he heard a gasp. And his eyes widened when he recognized the familiar tone of that gasp.

"Near!" Mello exclaimed in horror, shoving Linda to the side and seeing Near standing frozen in the playroom doorway looking like he'd been punched in the stomach. It was like Mello's voice had jostled him from his state of paralyzation and he suddenly turned around, racing down the hall towards his bedroom.

And the chase was on.

Mello ran after Near, repeatedly calling the younger boy's name. Near's only response was to run quicker, but luckily he was more athletic and had longer legs. He lunged forward, tackled Near and sent both of them crashing to the floor. Mello was worried that he'd injured Near when he saw that the other genius was sobbing.

"Are you okay, Near? I swear that I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"Th-That's not it, imbecile!" Near whimpered, the tears that he cried were streaming from the corners of his eyes to the roots of his hair at his temples.

"Th-Then what is it?" Mello asked with concern, a little shocked that Near had insulted him.

"Y-You kissed her!" Near stuttered, looking hopelessly in love and crestfallen.

And it clicked.

Mello, feeling happier than he had since that Christmas when he'd received an entire stocking full of his favorite brand of chocolate, silently offered Near the piece of paper he'd snatched from his English folder earlier and smiled softly. Near, confused, took the notebook sheet and glanced at it. Immense surprise overflowed Near's features as he read the words that were written in Mello's messy scrawl.

_I can't stand this confused feeling,_

_This confused feeling that I get_

_When I see him smile,_

_This confused feeling that I get_

_When I see him blush,_

_This confused feeling that I get_

_When he looks at me with those eyes,_

_Those eyes that I don't know how to describe,_

_Or maybe I do and don't want to admit it,_

_I don't know, but could someone please_

_Tell me what this confused feeling is_

_Before I start to lose my mind?_

Near's cheeks flushed and he shyly gazed at Mello as he returned the poem.

"What was that, Mello?" he sniffled, not wanting to believe what was surely too good to ever be true.

"That, _imbecile_, is how I feel about you," Mello answered with a gentle laugh, slowly leaning in and firmly pressing his mouth to Near's.

Neither of them had experienced a more blissful moment in their whole lives, and there were plenty of these sweet kisses yet to come...

**Jeez, Near cried three chapters in a row! I feel kinda guilty now... Review, please and thank you!**


	11. L's Examination

**Sadly, this is the end of the line for SWEO. I hope you all enjoyed it! It means so much to me that you guys have been reading this whole thing. May I add that this is actually my first complete multi-chapter fanfiction? :D**

"And so, as you can see, Mello and Near are getting along great since the handcuffs have been removed!" Matt exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air for emphasis.

"…Matt, why are you here again?" L asked bluntly with a deadpan, perched on the same couch that he had been seated at a month ago when he was speaking to Roger about the problem of Mello's behavior towards Near. Roger was currently absent from the room at L's request, probably still grumbling about being kicked out of his own office.

"I'm their lawyer, duh," Matt replied with a nonchalant flick of his wrist, as if this was completely obvious. Light, sitting next to L, blinked once and then merely rolled his eyes before sliding a questioning stare to the couple who sat at the armchair across from the two greatest detectives in the world.

"Matt insisted on coming," Near explained, seeming perfectly content in Mello's lap as he absentmindedly toyed with the blond's hair. Mello had his upper limbs wrapped securely around Near's midsection and currently appeared pretty miffed at his best friend for being an "annoying, intervening dolt" as he'd put it earlier when Matt was demanding to be their "defense attorney like Apollo Justice". There was something seriously wrong with the redhead and everyone knew it, yet he refused to go to therapy.

"Matt, you need an occupation besides video games," Mello snapped, scowling as he rested his chin on top of Near's head. Near, L and Light nodded their agreement. Matt looked like someone had just told him that he was no longer allowed to breathe oxygen and had to begin living on carbon monoxide instead.

"You touch my gaming consoles, you die."

"What about your computer? You wouldn't be able to play Dark Age of Camelot anymore if I took that from you," Light teased, smirking.

"That's not funny! You don't joke about those things!" Matt wailed, clutching at his face in panic.

"Matt, quit being such a drama queen," L sighed, popping a piece of gourmet fudge into his mouth. Mello watched the sweet as it vanished behind L's teeth, desire practically dripping from his gaze.

"Uh, L, can I-"

"No, Mello."

"You're horrible," Mello pouted, causing Near to glance at him with pity like a good boyfriend should when their significant other is unhappy.

"I will get Mello a box of his favorite chocolates if that would make him feel better," Near offered, smiling gently. Mello seemed pleased with this and kissed Near's cheek as thanks, then shot a glare at Matt when the avid gamer gushed about their "cuteness".

"Matt, kindly be silent!" he shouted, making Matt jump. He paused when he realized that Matt had actually quieted and then grinned at Near.

"What do you know, it does work!" he snickered, winking at Near. Near blushed, bashfully turning his face away to hide the pink tint of his normally pale skin. Mello smirked at this, but switched his attention to Matt when it seemed like the hyperactive teenager was going to continue cooing at them.

"I swear to God, I will go Kira on you if you dare start that anew," he sneered, using the phrase that had become popular with many of the orphans at Wammy's. Matt tried to seem innocent as he grinned sheepishly, then quickly and firmly pressed his lips together. Nobody except L noticed Light wince at the words and he looked slightly worried, keeping a low profile as he squeezed Light's hand in an attempt at comforting the brunette. Light responded by sending a weak smile at L to show that he was alright, although L was no less positive that he was upset.

"Hey, L," Mello suddenly interrupted and L immediately, yet reluctantly focused on the chocoholic rather than Light.

"Yes, Mello?"

"You told us you knew that the handcuffs would work for Near and I because they did for you and Light. How exactly did they improve your relationship?" Mello inquired casually, checking his nails in quite a feminine manner. L nearly choked on his candy and Light had to make sure that his partner was safe, rubbing L's back as he glowered at Mello.

"Ahem. That, Mello, is a story for another day. Light and I are very… busy. We really must be going now; we have a case that requires solving."

Mello, Matt and Near had to stifle their laughter as L dragged Light to the door. They'd never seen either of the super sleuths make a faster exit.

**Well, the bright side is that I have ideas for a prequel (LxLight) and a sequel (LxLight, MelloxNear). I even have some thoughts about a sequel to the sequel (MelloxNear or LxLight, MelloxNear)! xD Review, please and thank you!**


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